A Different St. Patrick's Day

This is by far a 

St. Patrick’s Day 

like none other…

or is that no other?

Again...

This 

St. Patrick’s Day

is like nothing we have ever experienced before.

From Chicago to NYC to Boston to Dublin

everything has been cancelled.

No parades. none.

No pubs. nil.

No gatherings of large parties 

to guzzle green beer. nope.

So what’s a lad or lassie to do?

maybe?

order-in take-out

feed your faceTime

binge Braveheart and bangers 

visit virtually 

sing swilling songs

Anywhooo.....

You can bet that

my Irish hubby, PaulA

(A is for Augustine)

and I

are wearing o' the green this day.

PaulA even made his own 

Irish Soda Bread.

See what you can accomplish when you are home.

I'm thinking 

about making an Irish Stew…

(if I can only find some beef stew meat.)

and 

I'm thinking 

of these three 

of yester St. Paddy's year...

and these two 

of this St. Paddy's year...

our lucky charms

Even with our exasperation

with St. Paddy's Day cancellations

and self isolation,

we won't risk hospitalization

and other complications,

but we just might indulge in a wee intoxication.

(couldn't resist in a ridiculous rhyme)

And with a little 

luck of the Irish…

we will get through this.

I have to believe there is 

happiness, tranquility, and prosperity

at the end of the rainbow.

Happy Birthday Colin

Colin's birthday brings...

along with hearts, flowers, and candy...

lots of fun, new and exciting life chapters both

personally and professionally. 

But before I talk about the future…

this Kat likes to reminisce about the ole days..

(That’s what old people do.)

Back in the golden olden days, 

we would let our kids choose their birthday dinner. 

Sometimes they’d choose a restaurant, 

or their favorite take-out to eat at the dining room table, 

or ask me to make their favorite meal.

On Colin’s 10th birthday, 

he asked me to make his favorite...

 meatloaf.

So on the most romantic day of the year 

I was elbow deep in red meat…and red catsup, 

(Red...apropos for Valentine's Day) 

mixing up a meatloaf dinner for 5. 

(Colin may have gotten serious side-eye from his sisters....

meatloaf, Colin?)

It was actually a fun nite…and a great memory. 

Apparently Colin likes my meatloaf. 

But the birthday request for the ages…

the one that always takes the (birthday) cake….

was when

Colin asked if he could take over our bedroom. 

He wanted to sleep in our king bed, enjoy the fireplace, and watch television. 

So what do the nicest parents in the whole world (hehe) 

do with such a request

…on Valentines Day, I might add? 

We give Colin our bedroom 

and we crash in his room...

among his Blink-182 posters of tattooed rockers. 

For some reason 

I woke up singing...

Say it ain't so, I will not go
Turn the lights off, carry me home
Na-na, na-na, na-na, na-na, na, na
Na-na, na-na, na-na, na-na, na, na
Na-na, na-na, na-na, na-na, na, na

I will always remember Colin that birthday night. 

He was all set…and all smiles. 

With the bed pillows propped up behind him 

a tray holding his bowl of ice cream 

and the TV remote.... 

he was living his best self

and I couldn't have loved his self more.

Colin then 

and Colin now

will forever and ever

have my heart.

Anywhoooo…...

Adding to the LOVE of a Valentine's Birthday

or as we call it

"Colintine's Day"

is 

Colin's upcoming marriage to Alexandra.

In just 8 days

his beautiful bride, Alexandra, 

will walk down the church aisle

and join him as they walk together 

toward their future.

Colin might want to wait a few (20) years before he 

requests that

meatloaf dinner on Valentine's Day.

With just one week to go...

we look forward to their wedding.

Its’ gonna be one heck of a party and we are 

gonna dance 

til the cows come home. 

(I’m a Vermonter…we like cows.)

Trust me,

it's gonna be epic.

Happy Birthday Chelsea

This is a special birthday for Chelsea...
her first birthday celebration as a

family of four.

Chelsea, Austin, Ansley and baby Presley in a bucket.

I'm guessing this birthday will be
a new and different 
scenario, 

scene, 
setting
from birthdays past.

Chelsea

a mother of 2

a sibling of 3

family of 4

from a family of 5

could possibly have a celebration 

that goes something like…

cake at 6

Ansley down at 7

 Presley down at 8

Momma lights out at 9 

Not exactly la vida loca 
celebrations of past birthdays 
that carried on for days...

but ultimately more especial.

Anywhooo…....

I’m remembering Chelsea when she turned two years old…

back when Chelsea was the...

“Ansley of our family.”

With her brother, Colin, due in 3 weeks, 

 Chelsea’s universe was about to be rocked and rolled…

in more ways than one.

Her “just me and mommy/daddy” days 

were numbered. 
Tic Tok you're on the clock

For 2 fast years as a family of three, 

Chelsea was the epicenter of our universe.  

MarsPaulA and VenusKat 

orbited around 

SunnyChelsea 

basking in her love rays.  

Chelsea was our entire focus. 

She was the feature and 

PaulA and I were her supporting cast. 

She received all the attention, 

adoration 
and 

affection.  

But quickly following the main feature 

was a highly anticipated trailer…

previewing her baby brother.

Ready or Not…

 toddler Chelsea was immediately bumped up to

The Big Girl Class.

Congratulations Chelsea,

 you have graduated cum laude.  

Here’s your diploma...you are officially the 

Big Sister.

Chelsea easily took on her new role as Big Sister 
and played it well.

It was a role made for her...
and we couldn't have casted it better.

She was then 
and is now

the loving and nurturing big sister...

the Big C that would 
watch over her brother and sister
with a protective eye, 
always there for them,
with chats and advice
and always, always have their back.

A fun sister with a sense of humor
who
loves them 
fully, 
fiercely
and
unequivocally.

Fast forward 30+ years…

and now

Ansley is to follow in her mother’s footsteps …
as Big Sister.


Those are some big shoes to fill,
but something tells me

Ansley is ready
for the role.

Dear Chelsea,

Happy Birthday  #Thirty-four

We couldn't love you more.

The Best Gift - Presley Parker Hyatt

Christmas may be in 10 days, 

but as far as gifts go…

I’ve already received 

THE most 

precious 
priceless and

perfect 

gift.

Santa 
can scratch me off his list this year.

He doesn’t need to bring me a thang

cuz I got it…

something money can’t buy...
not even all the tea in China.

Okay a shiny bauble is always acceptable.

Sandwiched between a 

Thanksgiving turkey and a Christmas ham…

(Could I be hungry again?)

on December 6, 2019, 

(which fittingly happens to be St. Nicholas Day)…

our grand baby girl #2 
was born into this world.

Meet

Presley Parker Hyatt

8 lbs 11 oz       20 in.

The morning we went to to the hospital to meet Presley…

felt just like the Christmas mornings I had as a kid.  

The anticipation was palpable.  

I can remember back in the golden olden days 

going through the Christmas edition of the Sears and Roebuck catalog

flipping endlessly through the pages of toys offered by the duo...

taking a pen and circling the toys I thought I had to have 

and hoping like all hope 

that when I opened my eyes on Christmas Morning…

I hit the jack pot.

So for St. Nicholas's day
Ansley donned in her very official Big Sister scrubs, 

PaulA (aka Hop), Auntie Bri and MeMe 
(Uncle Colin and Auntie Alex will meet her soon) 

eagerly walked/ran/skipped  

to meet the baby sister 

Ansley's mama and daddy had been talking about for 9 months…

which is just about a third of Ansley’s life.  

Talk about anticipation.

We were about to come face-to-face with the angel 
who God delivered safely...

PRIORITY delivery 

via her mama and daddy.

Good job

Chelsea and Austin

Anywhoooo…

Presley will soon learn how fortunate she is to have big sister Ansley,

a sweetheart of a 26 month old

who is already so nurturing and loving.

As Presley’s Big sister,

Ansley will always be there for her

to show her the ropes…

show her how to cheers with her cup,

show her how to wrap daddy around her finger,

show her how to make mommy and daddy laugh.

Surrounding precious Presley ...

we were looking into the face of an angel 

fresh from heaven sent.

Presley Parker...

a baby sister for Ansley... 

girlfriends for life

a baby girl for her momma and daddy to nurture and cherish

and

a grand baby for her MeMe and Hop to love on forever.

Life doesn’t get better than that very moment.

God is great and we are forever grateful.

And so
when I opened my eyes 

and met Presley 
for the first time….

I knew

Meme hit the jackpot.